Physicists working with Microsoft think the universe is a self-learning computer
thenextweb.comFrom the article, link to the original paper on arXiv:
https://arxiv.org/abs/2104.03902
I was wondering whether there was a short statement that summarized how autodidactic systems differ from the Wolfram Physics project approach to the "universe as a computer" and I found one in the paper:
>In this section we discuss several protocols for autodidactic systems, as well as some preliminary computational experiments. A protocol defines a dynamic architecture with rules for change that lend themselves to interpretations as learning strategies or reward functions. Generally speaking, the autodidactic paradigm suggests none of these may be fixed a priori, since one history guided by a set of rules might transform itself to be guided by altered rules, though in practice it is often helpful to limit the number of ways in which the system may evolve. Autodidactic systems are distinct, however, from emergent cosmological models that apply a priori growth rules consistently, as in [41].
>[41] Stephen Wolfram. A Project to Find the Fundamental Theory of Physics. Wolfram Media, 2020.
Completely uninformed, but phenomena like General Relativity emerging from a priori growth rules (IIRC claimed by the Wolfram Physics project) seems more parsimonious than rules that change over time.
Thanks for linking the paper, I was wondering if Microsoft had bought up a bunch of physicists and had them working in some sort of "Lex Luthorish" lab in the bowels of a Redmond office building.
I see now that the authors are in fact institutional scholars that I am guessing Microsoft provided philanthropic funding to?
It will be interesting to see if the James Webb telescope can shed some light (Figuratively) on this subject.
Physicists working with Tesla think the universe is a self-driving car
Physicists working with Goldman Sachs think the universe is an economic simulation
Physicists working with DoD think the universe is a giant battlefield
...
Are these physicists working with or for Microsoft?
To the best of my primitive mind, am I correct in understanding their theory is the laws of physics in the universe are permanently changing over time, and because we are within this universe of constantly changing laws, we do not have the perspective to observe these changes or recreate them in a mathematical model?
So they designed the new Microsoft GUI. That explaines why the interface is nondeterministic and is dependent of disturbances in time-space contunuuum. TBH, maybe they will have the same fate like Leslie Lamport: "renounce at what your doing now and we will make you rich".
Are they planning to harness it to align the stars and form a Coca Cola Ad constellation?
Programmers creating all sorts of Microsoft applications think they produce usable software. They are mostly incorrect.
The patterns that persist are the ones that collect patterns that make them more persistent.